The Confession

"Gemini?" Johanna blinked, her attention momentarily distracted from her phone, "As in my best friend?"

"Yeah," her brother nodded with a slightly embarrassed grin, "Er...is that wrong?"

"Not at all," the female Dalmatian answered, her eyes going back to the screen in her hand, "I just didn't expect to know the girl you picked, much less be her bestie." She typed out something briefly, which might have been suspicious if she wasn't pretty well constantly typing in the little electronic device. Sometimes she was chatting, sometimes playing games...but the vast majority of the time she was looking up information on a dizzying array on topics, either for her business or personal interests. Dane had gotten used to it years ago, and could no longer bring himself to be either insulted by her distraction or suspicious of what she was taking notes on. "I mean, I asked who'd you'd want if you could get anyone, so I guess I was expecting someone further from home."

Dane shrugged. "Fair enough," he admitted, "There are plenty of girls I'd jump at the chance to wuff, but as a girlfriend...I'd definitely prefer someone I know, like, and trust over someone that might turn out to be a total shower-bag off-camera. Gemi's cute, energetic, easy to get along with, and we've known her since grade-school. About the only surprises she'd have left would be--" He stopped short of finishing that thought, as if suddenly remembering who he was talking to.

Unfortunately for him, his sister was both sharp as a tack and completely apathetic to social norms, especially in private settings. "In the bedroom?" she finished for him, "No doubt." There was a moment of quiet, in which Dane felt increasingly awkward with his sister laying across him on the couch, belly down on his lap, idly waving one foot in the air and clicking away on her phone while he tried hard to ignore the fact that she wasn't wearing any pants and her tee-shirt had ridden up her back enough that he didn't have to guess at the pattern of her panties. Add to that the fact that she seemed to be taking a keen interest in his romantic preferences this morning, and Dane was getting downright uncomfortable. He was about to say something to that general effect when his sister broke the silence. "Want me to ask her out for you?"

He blinked at her, a little shocked...not that she could see it. "You wouldn't. Why would you? She's got a boyfriend already." And yet, he wouldn't put it passed his sister, who approached social interactions from a radically different point of view than most people. And worst of all, given how close she and Gemini had been since they started hanging out years ago...she might even be able to convince the Doberman.

Johanna shrugged. "She doesn't seem too attached to this one. She gets a new one every third season or so anyway, and she already likes you, too. So I wouldn't mind, but I want something in return."

Dane arched a brow at the back of her head. Part of him said he should just turn down the offer flat, right now. She would do it, but it felt...disrespectful...even if he didn't know Gemini's current boyfriend. But a much larger part of him was curious now, at least about what his sister wanted. "What did you have in mind? I don't really know any eligible singles you'd likely want."

"I do: you," she answered instantly. Her brother felt his heart stop, if only for a second. Johanna rolled onto her back, setting her phone on the arm of the couch and leaving her arms stretched above her head, meeting her brother's eyes unblinkingly. "If I ask her to go out with you, I want in too. I've been waiting for most of the last year for you to notice me. Now I think it's time to get more proactive."

He was trying hard to keep breathing. She wasn't teasing him. Even if she were the type, the fact that she put her phone down for this conversation told him she was dead serious. His head was swimming, and not entirely with rejection, which terrified him. "That...I...sis, there is so much wrong with this, I don't know where to start."

She nodded, in that calm, apathetic way with which she seemed to respond to most things. It was both infuriating and comforting that she never seemed to lose her cool in the face of...well, anything. "You've got four major reservations, I imagine," she counted off on her fingers as she described them, "You don't want to destroy your relationship with me, though I'm effectively taking that out of your hands just by confessing. You don't want to destroy your relationship with Gemini and Ares, who have been our friends for a long time. You don't want to destroy my relationship with Gemini, who is my best friend. And you don't want to destroy whatever favorable reputation we might still have in society as a whole."

Dane looked at her for a long moment. "You've...clearly thought about this...a lot."

"Obviously," she nodded, as if it was unthinkable that she would have done anything else, "So which relationship do you want my thoughts on first?"

Her brother crossed his own arms over his chest, squirmed into the most comfortable position he could with her still stretched over his thighs, closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. "Alright. We're having this talk. I'll try to keep an open mind, so let's start with the most immediate problem: you and me. How long have you...felt this way?"

"Mmm...if I had to pin it down to a specific date, I'd say the summer of our freshman year. Remember that summer camp Dad sent us to? That day we went rock-climbing, one of the other girls remarked on how good your butt looked framed in the climbing harness. I don't think she knew I was your sister. But when I looked up...I agreed. That was the first time I clearly knew I was attracted to you, at least physically. I've had a hard time preventing it from growing since then."

Dane pinched the bridge of his nose, trying hard to pretend he didn't feel the burning in his cheeks, though she could clearly see the color rising. She smiled at it, which was itself a rare event, and reached up to pat one bright pink cheek gently. "It's okay. I didn't say anything for the same reason you've never admitted you look at me sometimes, too."

He pinched his nose harder, wincing slightly. "You noticed, eh?"

"Obviously," she rocked her side against his waist, applying pressure momentarily against a growing bulge there, causing his blush to deepen. "Ever since you moved back from college, I've been making every opportunity I could for you. I stopped closing my door when I change clothes. And when I shower. And I don't get dressed until I have to go out," she explained, gesturing to the large tee-shirt she wore.

That made Dane do a double-take. "I thought you'd just really enjoyed living by yourself while I was gone, and didn't want to give up those liberties," he admitted, "I'm basically free-loading, so I'm not about to complain about you being comfortable in your own home."

Johanna nodded once more. "Of course you wouldn't. You're too kind, and too self-controlled. I had hoped to warm you up to the idea of being...more physical...by temping you with these little shows until you said something. But I think I have to give up on that. You won't even break in plausible situations like this." When he arched a confused brow at her, she rested her arms on the armrest again and tilted her chin back a bit. "Your shoulders start to ache if you keep your arms up on the back of the couch. But that's where you've kept them all morning instead of letting them rest on my back, much less my butt." She gave an appraising look at his arms, still crossed over his chest at the moment. "Your arms will get tired if you keep holding them up like that, just high enough not to touch me. The most natural position for them to rest right now would be on my tummy. That would be an acceptably innocent touch, even to outsiders, though I wouldn't object if you laid one on my breast."

Dane grit his teeth, unable to deny how spot-on each of her observations was, or how uncomfortable his arms had become over the course of the morning...especially now that she had called his attention to it. With a sigh, he finally surrendered to her mixed reason and desire, and unapologetically relaxed his arms, letting them fall across her belly. She didn't stir in the least, seemingly neither bothered nor encouraged by the touch. Her baseline apathy made it difficult to read her, even in the best of times. "Even if you say all that...and I am glad you're not mad that I...kind of peeked a little..."

"I would not be mad even if you did significantly more than peek," Johanna assured him.

Her brother continued, "Even if we agree it's okay to look, you know it can't really go beyond that, right? We can share hugs and kisses all we like, but it'll never be the same as with a boyfriend or girlfriend. And we could never...you know..."

"I disagree," she stated matter-of-factly, "There is no reason the kisses we share could not be those of lovers. I will demonstrate, if you want proof. I do agree there are limits we should impose on ourselves in the bedroom, but we can wait to talk about those when you take me there."

Dane gnashed his teeth, both embarrassed and aroused by her bluntness, and how absolutely certain she seemed to be that she would get her way, now that they were talking openly and honestly. With a sigh, he decided this was a good time to shift the subject just a little. "If that's really what you want, why invite Gemini into it? And what makes you think she would agree to an arrangement like that, even if you do?"

"Several reasons," the female Dalmatian assured him, lowering her hands to rest comfortably on his arms as she continued, "One thing I absolutely cannot do is have your kids. And sooner or later I'm pretty sure you're going to want someone who can. Asking you to fight a billion years of physical and chemical evolution to deny that would be worse than unfair, so I think it would be better to find a girl you can share that with."

Not for the first time this morning, Dane was looking at his sister like she'd grown a second head. "And that doesn't bother you? I mean, that's like outright encouraging me to have a mistress, and kids with her at that!"

Johanna patted his arm, her tail wagging briefly beside her thighs. "I think I'm most likely to be labeled the mistress in that triangle, but it's nice of you to say it like that." She tipped her head back thoughtfully as her phone chimed, checked it briefly, then set it back down. "It ought to, but jealousy doesn't seem to be something I possess. I just want our relationship to be more intimate. As long as other relationships don't interfere with that, I can't say I'm bothered. That's why I also think Gemi would be a good pick: she won't have a problem sharing you with me...or me with you."

Something about the way she said that made Dane think there was some history there. "What do you mean?" he probed, "I didn't know she was bi."

His sister nodded. "No offense, but I know her better than you do. We're best friends, after all. We actually dated for part of that year you were in college. She's always been into us, so I'm sure she would have dated you first, or later, if you had ever asked." His chin nearly fell onto her belly. "She was mostly trying to cheer me up, I think, but she openly admits she also wanted into my panties. All it did was make me miss you, though, so we stopped after the first season." She reached up to close her brother's mouth for him. "I can't say girls are to my taste, but I won't be a reluctant participant. I'll treat any girl you have just as good as I treat you, even if it doesn't turn out to be Gemi. My only demand is that she has to allow it."

"I...um..." He swallowed, and took a minute to recompose himself and force down the sudden sense of arousal he'd gotten at the thought of his sister kissing her best friend...and maybe more. When he'd remarked earlier that the only surprises she could spring would be in the bedroom...boy, he had not had the faintest idea!

His sister tilted her head at him curiously, as though unsure whether he was surprised, excited, or disgusted. A quick glance at the seam of his pants reassured her, though. "You look uncomfortable. Would you like to let it out a little?"

He was tempted to tell her she wasn't helping, but the more he thought about it the more he realized he had lost whatever argument he'd started out prepared to make. He could doubt her, he could insist she was wrong, either about her own feelings or Gemini's proclivities...but he knew his sister was smart, astoundingly perceptive, and rarely wrong. He was the most likely fail-point in her dreams and schemes...which was why she'd been trying to ease him into it before today. Silently, he popped the button and dropped the zipper of his shorts, appreciating the immediate relief of pressure on his growing hard-on. She was polite enough not to stare, and kept her hands resting on his arms, in turn resting on her tummy...but she was looking up at him with that rare, soft, sincere smile she possessed. It could melt his will like butter in a frying-pan even on a good day. After the last half-hour or so...he had no resistance left.

"Before I agree to this," he sighed softly, "What were you going to do if I still said 'no'? You set out to jump a pretty high bar this morning," he admonished, though it came with the admission of defeat...and she knew it.

"Up the ante, probably," she answered without hesitation, "I don't give up on things easily, you know. I'm also not above begging, if it would flatter you. If I ultimately failed, though...probably I would remember this sunny Saturday morning with heart-breaking regret for the rest of my life. I can't imagine you'd keep living here very long after a push like that, and it would defeat my goals to chase you any further."

Dane cringed just a little. "Dramatic, much?" he snorted, knowing full well she was not usually that sort. Patting her tummy once, he shook his head. "I have to ask: what the wuff could you possibly 'up the ante' with? You already tossed a waking wet-dream into the pot."

Johanna shrugged, checking her phone as it chimed again, and immediately putting it back down. "I've thought long and hard about having this talk. I don't remember ever wanting anything in my life so badly before...and I don't think there's anything you would want that I would be unwilling to do, if it would convince you to agree."

"Even kiss my tail-hole?" he chided, leaning down to give her a gentle and sincere kiss on the nose. He was teasing now, trying to ease the tension that had been growing in the room. She had won her gamble. He would--try--to treat her more like a girlfriend than a sister going forward. A live-in girlfriend. The thought made him nervous. He wasn't even trying to get his hopes up regarding Gemini...

"I've proposed a polyamorous relationship with a heavy element of incest, and you think I'd balk at anilingus?" she rolled her eyes. She followed him as he sat back up, planting an equally soft kiss on his cheek...then whispered into his ear, "Okay."

"What?" his eyes went wide as she slid out of his lap and stood facing him, gesturing for him to turn his back to her. "No, no, you got me. I promise to be more...affectionate...from now on. I was just teasing about the tail-hole thing."

Johanna nodded, as if she'd understood that already. "That's fine. But now that you've said it, I can't not do it." She leaned forward, resting her hands on her knees and lowering her head until their noses were practically rubbing. If she wasn't so close, he would have had a very revealing view down the neck of her shirt. "If you said it because you wanted to test me, I have to pass. If you said it just for fun, I want you to have fun. If you said it to be mean, I want you to know I won't shy away." She nudged his nose with hers, glancing down at his still-open fly and the throbbing rod inside. "So you see, whatever you meant by it, I have to do it now."

He swallowed, unable to look away from her. When had his sister become someone so terrifying? "So...you really want to...?"

She stood upright again, shrugging. "I won't do this for every off-the-cuff remark, but I think I need to make a point today. If you're not ready, I'll wait until tonight, but you're going to get it before bed." She glanced at her phone as it chimed once again, leaning over to pick it up, and sighed at the message on the screen. "That's probably best, actually. It'd be really awkward for Gemi to walk in on this. You should go get ready."

Dane blinked...several times. "What? Why would she...?" Johanna turned her phone around, showing him a string of texts:

<<Johanna: My brother says you're cute, energetic, and easy to get along with. He'd like you to date him. I would, too. Are you available? [9:28a]>>

<<Gemi: ...HELL YEAH!! :D [9:29a]>>

<<Gemi: I just broke it to Thom. Are you guys home? I want to come over! [9:36a]>>

<<Gemi: Just passed the coffee shop, almost to your place. Tell me now if you're somewhere else. ^_~ [9:59a]>>

"You..already asked her? And she agreed?!" It wasn't so much that Dane couldn't believe it was happening as he couldn't believe it happened so fast and enthusiastically. He kind of felt bad for Thom, and he didn't even know the guy...

Johanna turned her phone back to her face, typing something in reply as she started for her room. "Yep. Favor's done. No backing out now. I'm going to give you two some space, but tell her I'll call her about the details later."

"Details?" he blinked, "You're not going to stay out here and talk with us?"

The female Dalmatian shook her head. "She's your girlfriend. I'm just part of the benefits package. Have fun." The door to her room clicked shut, leaving Dane with a swirling head, racing heart, and maybe ten minutes to make himself look like he didn't just roll out of bed.

He was still in the middle of brushing his teeth when the doorbell rang, and nearly missed the sink in his haste to rinse before answering it. "Hi!" came the immediate, cheerful greeting from the bright-eyed Doberman on the other side, practically bouncing with excitement as he let her in. She was wearing a black-and-white skirt that didn't quite come all the way to her knees, and a neon pink top that practically glowed against the backdrop of her dark fur. Her fashion sense could best be described as "happy goth".

"Hi," was all Dane could think to say back as Gemini skipped into the living room and made herself immediately comfortable on the couch. Any other day, she could have walked through their door on a whim, completely unannounced, and been welcomed like she lived there. On this strange Saturday morning, though, Dane couldn't help feeling self-conscious and nervous, and couldn't think of anything he might say that wouldn't sound stupid or contrived.

Gemini didn't seem to suffer from that kind of anxiety. "SOoo...spill," she smiled, "What got this ball rolling, and how much of it was your idea?"

Dane smiled sheepishly as he sat down on the opposite end of the couch...where she immediately scooted over to lean against his shoulder. "I...actually...surprisingly little, to be honest," he sighed, hoping she didn't take that as an affront, "Johanna was being kind of weird this morning, and asked who I would pick if I could talk any girl into being my girlfriend. When I dropped your name...she decided that was something that actually needed to happen."

"Oh-ho! So I'm your pick out of any girl in town?" the Doberman gave him a sly smile, leaning harder against his shoulder, "When did I start ranking so high?"

"Um...when she asked, I think," he admitted, "And I'm pretty sure it was out of the entire world, not just town."

Gemini gave a low whistle. "Well color me flattered!" she giggled, then sat back to give him a little space. "So I kind of get why you never said anything. I never asked you out for the same reasons, probably. But are you sure you're okay with things this way? Did she...tell you anything?"

"She told me that you two dated while I was gone," the Dalmatian nodded, "Which was definitely news to me...but I guess looking back on it, I shouldn't be surprised."

"Mmhmm," Gemini grinned slyly, "Anything...else?"

Dane arched a brow at her, wondering what she was probing at. "She...said a lot of embarrassing things about...liking me. Actually, she wanted me to talk to you about...uh...'sharing'..." He winced a little at himself, hardly believing what he was saying now that Johanna wasn't in the room. "Also that she would call you later about some kind of 'details'."

"Whoohoo!" the Doberman threw her hands in the air with a cheer, surprising Dane, "I knew it! She confessed, didn't she? Wuffing finally!"

"Wait...you knew?" Dane blinked, "How long?"

"Well, we did date, you know. We talked a lot about some pretty personal stuff during that stint," she winked, "So when you moved back, I had a hunch she wouldn't let you get away a second time. Hehe...what I did not expect was to be a part of it. Thank you!" the Doberman beamed, seeming genuinely happy.

Still not quite daring to get his hopes up, Dane decided to lay everything out clear and bare. "So you know she wants to...be my 'girl on the side', so to speak? And maybe even join us if we get intimate?"

"Oh, she had better," Gemini nodded, "I took her text to mean I got a boyfriend and a girlfriend at the same time. Oo, I'm getting horny just thinking about it," she admitted, making Dane blush fiercely. The sight made her giggle. "Don't worry. I'm not the type to drag a boy off to the bedroom straight away, even if it is you. But," she leaned in close again, to speak softly into his ear, "You can walk straight to third base whenever you're ready. We did the whole 'get to know you' thing years ago."

Dane's blush deepened, and his eyes couldn't help dropping to her top, stretched tight across the ample mounds beneath. Gemini just smiled, turning a little closer and hooking two fingers into the low neckline. "Want a closer look?"

He closed his eyes, grit his teeth, and answered, "...No. I mean 'yes', obviously, but...not right now. It feels artificial...like I've cheated at a video game, and skipped right to the final boss. I see how some people would like it, but...I'm not sure I do."

Gemini smiled, let go of her neckline and caressed his cheek instead. "That's about what I thought you'd say. You're terribly sweet, Dane. Maybe a little too nice. But that's part of what I like about you." She backed up to give him a little breathing room, then, and let him recompose himself. "So...if I remember right, you haven't found a job yet, right?"

That killed whatever arousal might have been building in him pretty quick. "Uh...right," he admitted through grit teeth, "So...dates might have to be a little cheap until I do. This whole morning's been a whirlwind. I haven't really had time to think about it."

Gemini nodded, and he wondered briefly if she'd picked up the habit from his sister. "That's fine. More importantly, it means we can start on Monday, instead of having to wait for a weekend! Oh, this is going to be so much fun!" she practically bounced in her seat, her little bobbed tail making swishing sounds on the couch behind her.

"Monday?" Dane blinked, "Not tomorrow? Or today?"

"Oo, someone's eager!" she winked, "But no, today's a bad day. I only came over to be sure I understood how much Johanna had told you, and get my kiss. I wasn't even planning to get together with Thom today. And tomorrow will be Purge Day."

"Purge Day? Kiss? I feel like dating rituals have changed a lot in the passed two years without anyone telling me," the Dalmatian frowned a little.

"Nah," she reassured him with a pat on the knee, "It's just something I do between boyfriends. You know, burn all the pictures and notes and clothes, body cleansing smoothies, enemas, the works." Dane felt like that was both a tad overkill and way more than he actually needed to know. Gemini turned to face him squarely. "But I didn't want to let the kiss slide. You're not officially a boyfriend until the first kiss, you know," she grinned, leaning in close, "And I'm not going to let it be unofficial for even one more minute."

Something snapped in him as her nose touched his. Something about being overwhelmed and overpowered, emotionally, by two surprisingly dominant women in one morning, made his masculine pride blaze with a need to assert itself. So he caught her as she started to lean in with eyes half-closed, causing her to blink in surprise. Surprise turned to a happy smile, though, as he pushed her back and down on the couch, leaning over her. "Oh...there's the man I was looking for when I rang the bell," she congratulated him, closing her eyes again as he lowered his lips to hers. It didn't last overly long...but definitely lasted long enough to count as passionate. Gemini licked her lips as he pulled away. "Yes...I am definitely your girl now. Do it again."

"When we're on a date," he promised, making her groan in regret that she'd already shot down the weekend.

"Fine," she grinned, getting out from under him and onto her feet, "Be ready for it on Monday, then. See you at eight, and don't be late," the Doberman winked before collecting her purse from the table and skipping out the door.

Dane shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair, taking a few minutes to breathe and wonder if he'd be waking up soon. He was so nervous, that would almost be a relief...and yet, he kind of hoped he was wrong...

Johanna's door was closed when he went to tell her Gemi had left, meaning she was not to be bothered right now. That was about the only rule she had laid down when he moved in to her apartment...and given what she'd confessed that morning, it seemed doubly significant now. Most likely she'd had to log into one of her several remote jobs unexpectedly, despite the weekend. He would just have to tell her about their plans for Monday when she was done.

What started out as a whirlwind morning turned into an almost painfully slow day. Johanna didn't come out for lunch...or dinner, even. Dane made sure to leave something at-the-ready in the microwave, and entertained himself with video games in the meantime, but the sun had already started to set when he finally heard her door click.

As usual, she emerged with her phone practically glued to her nose, still in the tee she'd been wearing that morning. "Hey," she greeted him tiredly as she came into the living room.

"Hey," Dane returned, setting his controller down, "Rough day? There's lasagna in the microwave."

"Thanks," she answered idly, but plopped down on the couch with her head in his lap instead, almost exactly where they'd been that morning. Aside from his change of clothes, it was like time suddenly reversed itself to negate the interruption of the day. "Sorry about that. I got an emergency call from FoxFirewall that had to be dealt with. Security doesn't get weekends, really."

"I understand," he promised, patting her head reassuringly. She glanced away from her phone to look up at him. Reading the subtle cue, he moved his other hand to her stomach, rubbing it lightly through her shirt. Johanna returned to tapping on her phone.

"Gemi didn't stay long," the female Dalmatian noted, "How did it go?" He wasn't sure whether she had just noticed the door closing, or (more likely) Gemi had texted her when she left.

Dane shrugged. "Okay, I guess. We're having our first date on Monday, she says, though I was so nervous I forgot to ask where we were going. I guess I ought to be the one to decide, but she seemed to already have something in mind."

His sister nodded. "If she didn't ask, she already knows. You'll get your turn. I'll make sure to pull some cash for you before you go."

That made him wince, and his hand stopped its movement on her belly. "Sis...before we get any deeper into this...you know I'm grateful, right? When I came home and found out you had your own place...well, I'd really rather live with you than Dad, so I was super glad when you said you had a spare room and agreed to let me stay here. You work hard, keep the fridge stocked, and don't even charge me rent. Maybe you think that's expected from a sibling, but I know it's gotta be irritating at times. So...thank you. You've done enough, and more than I could reasonably ask, really. You definitely should not pay for my dates. I'll find something this week, even if I have to lower my standards a bit and be a waiter."

Never looking away from the screen, Johanna reached up with one hand to pat his cheek. "You will not, although I know you're trying. You're not lazy or too proud. There's just not a lot available around here, and I know it. I absolutely will pay for your dates. She's my friend, too. And Gemi knows the situation, so she won't ask for anything expensive anyway."

He chuckled. He couldn't argue, since she was right way more often than she was wrong, and always seemed to know more about their circumstances than he did. But even so... "Are you sure? She always seems to be taking her boyfriends shopping, from what I hear, and not just for clothes."

Again Johanna nodded. "She tends to pick boys with that kind of money, and she makes sure to get a feel for their budget on the first date or two. But she does it because boys like buying things for their girls. She can be low-maintenance when there's not enough to burn. I'm hungry," his sister changed the subject abruptly.

With a chuckle, Dane slipped out from under her head and went to heat the lasagna. He set it on the coffee table in front of her, handing her the fork. "I'm going to get a shower," he told her as she started to dig in. How she could eat without looking at the food was a trick he'd never really understand.

"Leave some hot water for me," she requested, "And be thorough back there."

He grimaced. Dane kind of hoped she'd forgotten his thoughtless remark from this morning, but she seemed determined to go through with it for some reason. He took his time showering...and was very thorough. He couldn't quite seem to make up his mind whether he should be disgusted or aroused by the thought of what he was preparing for, but if she was determined then he at least didn't want it to be too unpleasant.

Fur thoroughly blow-dried, dressed in clean, plaid pajamas, teeth brushed to a shine...Dane eventually ran out of excuses to stay in the bathroom. He was a little surprised to walk into his bedroom and find her already laying on his bed, though, still tapping away at her phone. "Are you ready?" she asked casually as he tossed his clothes from the day into a hamper in the corner.

Dane considered her for a moment, distracted as always, despite a subtle eagerness. "There are two things I want first," he declared, and did not miss the way her ear twitched attentively in his direction, as though surprised to hear him be so assertive.

"Alright. Shoot," she prompted, sitting up on the edge of the bed.

In what might have been the ballsiest move he'd ever made on his sister, Dane reached over to pull the phone out of her hand, flipped it to silent mode, and laid it face-down on his nightstand. Johanna's eyes followed it the entire way, blinking occasionally, like she didn't quite understand what was happening. "Assuming we're going to...do stuff like this...regularly going forward: none of that in the bedroom. Not my room, at least. I want to know where your attention is," Dane explained.

His sister stared at the back of the phone for another second before resting her hands on the edge of the bed and looking him square in the eyes. "Fair. And the second thing?"

Dane chuckled, having cleared what he expected to be the hard part. "Gemini said something interesting today, that I kind of agree with," he told her, leaning down to take her hands and pull her to her feet. As soon as she was standing, he put his arms around her and pulled her close into a loose hug, leaving enough space to continue looking at her face comfortably. "You're not officially a girlfriend until the first kiss, you know. And there is no way I'm letting an unofficial one kiss my tail."

Her eyes widened for a moment, then a faint smile crooked up the corners of her mouth. "Oh...I think I like that, too...," she agreed, resting her hands on his arms as he moved a hand behind her head. She did not resist as he pulled her forward, sealing his lips to hers. When his tongue brushed between them, she opened wider to allow it between her teeth, where her own tongue greeted it eagerly before invading his mouth in return. They held the kiss, breathing against each other's cheeks, for a long moment.

He was thoroughly red in the cheeks when he pulled away again, and was pleased to find her in a similar state, if not worse. The effects seemed to surprise her even more than him. "Oh gods forgotten," she sighed breathlessly, "I did not know how much I needed that." Leaning her head against his chest, she ran her tongue over her lips, as if to gather whatever taste of him still lingered there. Then she kissed his chest as he kissed the top of her head.

When he tried to nudge her in the direction of the bed, however, she braced herself against him, surprising him. Pushing away just a little, her customary, blank expression returned as she shook her head. "I think I know what you're trying to do, and you're not getting out of it. I'm not ready for the bed tonight, anyway. Now, over there," she pointed to the wall beside his closet. He arched a brow at the innocuous spot, before realizing she had brought the little dressing mirror from her room into his and propped it against the wall on the other side of the closet. From the place she directed him, if he looked to his right, he would be able to see everything going on at his back reflected in the mirror.

His stomach felt tight again. But by this point he had to give up on dissuading or distracting her. Better to get it over with. So Dane obediently moved to where she indicated and started to reach for the waist of his pants before she caught his hands and placed them firmly on the wall. "You just relax," she instructed, leaning against his back, prompting him to rest his weight on his elbows and bend forward just slightly. "I'll do the work." She kissed the back of his shoulders as her arms wrapped around him and started to slide under the elastic waist of his pants...but hesitated as her fingers slid into the fur at the top of his hips. "...Do you want me to enjoy it?" she asked softly of his back.

"What?" he blinked, trying to look at her over his shoulder. She was leaning against his back, with her cheek resting against his shoulders, so it was hard to see her face. Not that she was likely to tell him much through her expression.

"I don't know why this is what came to your mind," she admitted, "Whether it's something from your fantasies or just something you thought would repulse me." She pushed the hem of his pants down a little, just enough to free his tail from the loop in the back, and let the hair of his pubic region feel a little air. "Did you want to see if you could make me do something against my will, or hope I would be accepting of your shameful side?" She pushed his pants a little lower, giving his emerging bone room to grow and baring his bottom entirely. Sliding around to the back, she gently squeezed his exposed buttocks. "So, do you want me to enjoy it?" she asked once again.

He was loathe to admit the very question was turning him on, and his sword had already come well free of its sheath, though she was ignoring it completely at the moment in favor of his butt. "I...," he said at last, having to work to keep control of his breathing, "Want you...to only do things you enjoy, and not things that you don't."

She seemed to think about that for a moment, idly scratching and squeeze-spreading his cheeks as she decided how to interpret it. He felt her nod with her cheek pressed against his back, before pushing his pants the rest of the way to his knees as she knelt behind him. In the mirror to their right, he could see her lean in, tucking her nose between his thighs to kiss the back of his balls. Her hands slid back up from his knees to his buttocks, gently lifting them as she kissed the sensitive space behind his sac next. Spreading the cheeks gently, she wafted a warm breath against his back door, tickling the underside of his tail with her nose, and gently pressed her lips directly against the tightly clenched muscle.

In a relieved sigh, Dane released the breath he hadn't quite realized he was holding, and started to push away from the wall. She responded by pushing back against his hips, forcing him forward again. "M'not done," she murmured softly before flicking the tip of her tongue against his button. Dane grit his teeth as a shock of shameful pleasure rolled through him. She licked him again, more firmly, then dipped her tongue lower, to press flat against his taint, and drew it all the way up across his rim and under the base of his tail.

Dane couldn't suppress a groan, and his bone twitched, now thick and hard and almost bumping the wall in front of him. She licked him with those broad strokes three or four more times. "Oh, wuff, sis, what are you doing?!" he wheezed as she paused to make little circles around his rim with the tip of her tongue before pressing against it again. A shudder ran through his hips, and he involuntarily bucked back slightly against her nose, despite his best efforts to hold still.

Johanna seemed to take this as a signal, sealing her lips around his anus with a light suction and sliding the tip of her tongue insistently through the rim with a pleased little hum. She pinched his cheek gently when he instinctively clenched down. Taking a slow, deep breath, Dane forced himself to relax, and groaned aloud again as she thrust the full length of her tongue up into him with another "Mmm...". Her breath teased the base of his tail where it rested on her nose, and she relaxed her grip, allowing the cheeks of his rump to close loosely on her muzzle, then reached between his legs to lightly grip his bone.

He watched in the mirror as his sister tongue-wuffed his tail-hole with one hand resting on the back of his knee and the other gently stroking his bone. Her eyes were closed, head tilted back with most of her muzzle buried between his cheeks. It was starting to become difficult to hold his position. A tremble was developing in his knees as he watched her and felt her tongue swirling inside him. "Oh wuff...sis...I'm gonna...watch it," he tried to warn her through clenched teeth and shuddering breath. She seemed to understand, or at least wasn't surprised when the first quivering pulse ran through the hard flesh in her hand. She tipped him back slightly, stretching her shirt forward with the other hand to catch his load before it made a mess of the carpet, and continued gently probing him as the floodgates opened and he released a full-on orgasm onto her shirt.

When the trembling stopped, and the milky ropes had been reduced to one reluctant drop hanging from the tip of his softening bone, she finally pulled her face back from under his tail with a deep, almost desperate breath. They both spent a minute quietly panting, her leaning back on her knees, and him falling onto his in front of her, before he dared to look at her. "That was a hell of a lot more than a kiss," he observed, almost accusingly.

Johanna nodded, wiping the corners of her mouth with her sleeve. "I'm glad you noticed. So I've made my point?"

"What point?" Dane huffed, looking almost pained by the experience, "That you'll go way above and beyond reason to get me off? Wuff," he panted, too exhausted to be anything like upset.

She shrugged noncommittally. "Close enough." Then she leaned forward over his hunched back, wrapping her arms around his chest. "Did you not like it?"

Finally starting to get his breath under control, Dane forced his face to relax, and pulled himself a little more upright to lean his cheek against the wall just as she leaned against his back. "I feel...sort of violated? But also like I want it to happen again. So...yes, I guess?" That was probably about as clear as mud, but he was genuinely conflicted about his feelings on it at the moment. From a purely physical standpoint, at least, it had been undeniably great...as the mess on her shirt would attest. "Was it...um...bad?" he asked in return, figuring she would know what he was referring to.

She tilted her head side to side thoughtfully for a moment. "No. I wouldn't call it a treat, but I wouldn't be reluctant to do it again whenever you want," she answered at last, her feelings at least a little clearer than Dane's. Her brother just shook his head. "Alright," she assured him, kissing his back once, gently, "Then I will only do it whenever you need to be reassured I am still hot for you. You don't think anyone could go that far for someone they didn't like, do you?"

He shook his head again, thinking that only half made sense, but lacking the mental capacity to argue at the moment. Dane carefully rolled around to sit with his back against the wall, and reached for her to pull her against him. "Mmm...I need that shower now," she said after indulging him with a brief hug, trying hard to keep the stain on her shirt from transferring to his clean pajamas. He nodded his understanding, moving to give her a quick kiss before letting her go, but she interposed a hand between their lips. "...Butt breath," was the only explanation she offered.

Dane frowned a little. "Like I'm going to complain about a taste you got from me?" he asked, pushing her hand down and his lips against hers. "Now," he sighed, "...Yeah, we need to brush our teeth." With only a little difficulty, he managed to get to his feet and offer her a hand up, then followed her to the bathroom. Half a bottle of mouthwash later, he hung around long enough to watch her get undressed and into the shower, trying hard to stop being embarrassed at seeing her naked for the first time since they were very small children. She certainly didn't seem to feel any shame disrobing in front of him, making no effort to hide any part of herself from his eyes, and despite her habitually aloof expression, he could clearly see her muffin was wet well before she stepped into the water.

Figuring that was about all he could stand for now without starting to feel like a creep even to himself, Dane flopped down onto his bed with an exhausted sigh. His head was still aswirl with the events of the day, and he hoped a little sleep would calm him down and let him get back to normal. He had almost nodded off when a hand touched his leg through the covers. Dane peeked open one eye to find Johanna kneeling beside his bed, her long hair still damp from the shower and wearing only the towel wrapped around her breasts. She'd also retrieved her phone from the nightstand, the glow of the screen illuminating her face in the dark room. "You seem pretty okay," she said quietly, "But just in case you were expecting something else, I'm going to ask you to sleep alone for one more night. I don't trust my self-restraint right now, but I'll be ready by tomorrow night. We can couple-up then," she promised, leaning over her phone to kiss his cheek, "Good night."

"Good night," he answered drowsily, returning the kiss and wondering just what she meant by "ready". It was almost laughable to think of his sister, the very picture of apathy and self-control, being unable to keep her hands off him during the night. Then again, she had been saying and doing some very out-of-character things all day, so maybe it was for the best...

He was surprised to find her already up and dressed, with her purse on her shoulder, when he came out for breakfast the next morning. "Oh good," she said as he appeared in the hall, "I was just thinking of leaving a note for you. I'm going over to Gemini's. There's bacon and eggs on the stove, but you're on your own for lunch and probably dinner."

Dane blinked several times, wondering if his groggy brain was hearing things right. Granted, he hadn't slept terribly well, having dreamed about being surrounded by walls made of giant tongues slobbering all over him all night. "Gemini?" he asked, "I thought she was busy with her 'purge' thing today. Wasn't she not going to see anyone?"

"She is," Johanna nodded, scrolling through something on her phone, "She's going to walk me through parts of it, too."

That made him quirk a brow. "Thinking of dumping me already?" he chuckled, "We haven't even taken any pictures to burn yet."

She scared him for a second by answering with a nod, as if everything he'd just said was accurate...including the part about dumping him. But she quickly followed it with, "Yeah, but a big part of what she does is body cleansing for the new boy. You know, so all the bits are fresh and soft and smell nice when you go to bone them. I want to learn how she does that, so I'm going over. See you tonight," she promised with a wave, and closed the door behind her without ever looking up from her phone. She completely missed the dazed state she left him in, with visions dancing in his head of his sister and girlfriend..."cleansing" each other.

"I am such a perv," he sighed to himself, then went to help himself to the breakfast his usually late-waking sister had been kind enough to leave for him. He also found the cash she'd left by the stove, clipped to a pizza menu, probably to suggest what he could do for dinner. She was really too good to him...

Refusing to let the day go to waste, as soon as his belly was full Dane headed into town in search of a job of his own. True to Johanna's predictions, though, everywhere he asked was already fully staffed, and even over-staffed in preparation for the spring tourist season. Several of the local restaurants agreed to call him if someone needed a shift covered, but his only real leads were a contract job doing construction (which his still-recovering ankle would not favor), and a summer position in the park's fire watchtower. That would require almost an entire season of near-total isolation...which kind of defeated his purpose for earning money. Feeling a shade defeated, he decided to pick up a pizza on the way home after all, and console himself with some video game victories.

He had just finished his second slice of pizza when the lock turned over and Johanna let herself into the apartment. "Welcome home," Dane greeted her, nudging the pizza box with his elbow while he navigated a digital track with both hands, "Got your favorite."

"Thanks," the female Dalmatian sighed, flopping down next to him and leaning against the arm of the couch. Despite her remark, she ignored the pizza.

Her tone made Dane do a double-take, forgetting momentarily about the game. There was a glow in her cheeks and every fiber of fur on her body. She smelled like apple pie even at the other end of the couch, and he wondered if they had ended up baking instead of...whatever they had planned. He would have said she looked vibrant and full of life were it not for the obviously exhausted look on her face. "Are you okay?" he asked, "What did you and Gemi do today, exactly?"

She waved off his concern. "We worked hard, that's all. I didn't realize how much goes in to these days of hers. I want a shower, but I'm pretty sure I've never been cleaner in my life than I am right now, outside and in." She pulled her feet up onto the couch, rolling onto her back, and extended one leg toward him, stretching her toes out toward his nose. "What do you think?"

Dane quirked a brow, but humored her by sniffing the offered foot briefly. "Um...it's really nice? Though I never knew they made waffle-scented perfume."

"They don't," his sister nodded, resting her feet in his lap, "It's Gemi's own blend. She thinks boys like food smells better than flower smells."

"Well, she's probably not wrong," Dane admitted, putting down his controller and carefully taking one foot in his hands, "At least we have a better chance at naming the scent than we do with flowers."

"I think it's just her own preference. She's always been a bread junkie," Johanna observed, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. For once, she didn't even seem to have the focus needed to peruse her phone. Careful not to tickle her, Dane began rubbing his palm against the top and bottom of her foot...causing her to quickly pull it from his grip. "I appreciate the thought, but I'm about rubbed to death," she apologized, "I'm going to change clothes and watch you play your games until I fall asleep. Will that disappoint you?"

Her brother gave her a quizzical look. "Why on earth would it disappoint me?"

Johanna shrugged. "It's not how I had planned to finish the day, and it wouldn't be unreasonable for you to hope for something more than usual, either. But now I'm so tired and tingly all over I don't think I could do much of anything properly."

Dane smirked, lifted her foot again, and kissed the pad softly. "I've survived 20 years without a girl on my arm, much less in my bed. I think I'll live through a few more," he winked.

"Oh, no, you're definitely not getting a bed to yourself anymore," she corrected, reluctantly putting her feet back on the floor, "We just won't do anything except lay in it tonight. I'll go change now."

He leaned back on the end of the couch and watched her head down the hall, noting that she was walking very carefully, and probably was sore in more places than just her feet. When he didn't hear the click of her door closing, the Dalmatian followed, leaning against the frame of her open door while she pulled a comfortable pair of loose pants and sports bra from her drawers. He was certain she noticed him standing there, but she made no remark or eye contact as she bent over to pull her pants down her legs, followed shortly by her panties. As she leaned over to retrieve them from the floor, he noticed a definitely deliberate lift to her tail, offering him a quick peek at the small, pink spot beneath that marked her back door. Tossing those garments into her hamper, she turned toward him to retrieve her sleeping-pants, likewise offering a brief view of her gleaming muffin before pulling the fabric up. He couldn't help but notice she neglected to put on panties underneath. Shirt and bra were quick to follow her pants, and she paused for a moment, facing her mirror, to massage her unbridled breasts with him in full view of the reflection. A little more relaxed, she pulled on the sports bra, examined herself once more in the mirror, then headed for the door, never once acknowledging his presence until it prevented her from passing into the hall.

"It really doesn't bother you for me to watch you change?" he asked with a smirk and a quirked brow, "I think it's kind of creepy, myself, and I'm the one doing it."

She just tilted her head, as if she didn't understand the concern. "I leave the door open for just that reason," she reminded him.

Dane nodded with a sheepish smile, and stepped back to let her through. "Are you hungry?"

"Famished," she admitted, patting her tummy, "But I'm not supposed to eat again until morning, to let the smoothies finish doing their job. Not sure I understand that part, but I'll take her word for it." Her brother winced, not having figured on buying her favorite pizza only to eat it in front of her. He guessed it was a good thing he'd already had a couple of slices...enough to tide him over until morning, at the least.

"You didn't have to go through all that, you know," he put an arm around her shoulders as they made their way back to the couch, "Neither of you did."

Johanna nodded, leaning into his side as they went. "I don't plan to do it again anytime soon. But it was worth it, if you like the results. You'll have to give me your thoughts tomorrow, when everything's 'soaked in' and not so strong."

"Did you two bathe in perfume?" he quirked a brow.

"No. Lotions, oils, and a handful of creams, lathered on with various sponges and stones. I swear, it was like the world's tiniest spa in her bathroom," Johanna sighed, curling up comfortably against the arm of the couch again. Dane packed the leftovers away, then selected a game he was less likely to get too energetic over, to avoid jostling her. His sister reversed directions to lean against his side, and alternated between watching his gaming antics and making and reading entries on her phone, until the text on the screen started blurring in her vision. "Brother, I think I'm done for today. Good night." She kissed his cheek, laid her phone down on the table and her head down on his shoulder, and closed her eyes.

Dane chuckled, shutting down the console and TV, and carefully wormed out from under her. Standing over the female Dalmatian, he crossed his arms over his chest with a smirk. "Really? You're going to make me do this?"

"...Yes," she answered without opening her eyes, prompting Dane to roll his. But he humored her, stooping down to slide his arms underneath her and lift her up against his chest. She put her arms around his neck to help secure herself, but otherwise still pretended to be asleep. "...Am I heavy?" she asked softly just as he got to his own door.

"No, actually," he assured her, shouldering the door to his room open, "You're lighter than I expected." She nodded against his chest as he laid her down in his bed, with her back against the wall and facing toward the room. Then he climbed in beside her, between her and the room, and pulled the blanket over them. Never opening her eyes, Johanna curled up with her face pressed against his chest and clinging to his shirt with both hands.

"Dane?" her voice came softly a few minutes later, so soft that he almost didn't hear her. "I'm really tired, and will probably sleep like a log. But everything aches just a little. So if you decide to fondle anything during the night, remember to be gentle."

He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. "Good night, sis."